John Malkovich

John Gavin Malkovich (born December 9, 1953) is an American actor, director, producer, and fashion designer. He has appeared in more than 70 motion pictures. For his roles in Places in the Heart and In the Line of Fire, he received Academy Award nominations. He has also appeared in films such as Empire of the Sun, The Killing Fields, Dangerous Liaisons, Of Mice and Men, Being John Malkovich, Burn After Reading, RED, and Warm Bodies, as well as producing films such as Juno and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Malkovich was born in Christopher, Illinois. His paternal grandparents were Croatian natives of Ozalj. His mother had English, French, German, and Scottish ancestry. He grew up in Benton, Illinois, in a large house on South Main Street. His father, Daniel Leon Malkovich, was a state conservation director and publisher of Outdoor Illinois, a conservation magazine. His mother, Joe Anne (née Choisser), owned the Benton Evening News, as well as Outdoor Illinois. Malkovich has three younger sisters and an older brother.

Malkovich attended Logan Grade School, Webster Junior High School, and Benton Consolidated High School. During his high school years, he appeared in various plays and the musical Carousel. He was also a member of a folk gospel group, They sang in area churches and community events. He was also was a member of a local summer theater/comedy project where he co-starred in Jean-Claude van Itallie's America Hurrah in 1972. Upon graduating from high school, he entered Eastern Illinois University, and then transferred to Illinois State University, where he majored in theater...